String-tightener for musical instruments.



No. 65|,50I. Patented lune l2, I900.

. J. & A. FAVILLA. I I STBING TIGHTENER FUR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

(Applir pion filed June 19, 1899.) (No Model.)

IN VENT 0R5,

I, BY

Q I p v ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN FAVILLA AND ANTONIO FAVILL'A, OF NEW YORK, N Y.

STRING-TIGHTENER FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,501, dated. June 12, 1900.

Application filed June 19, 1899'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN FAVILLA and ANTONIO FAVILLA, citizens of the United States, and residents of New York city, county 5 of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in String-Tighteners for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to the machine-head or mechanism for tightening the strings of mandolins and similar stringed musical instruments; and it has for its object to provide a simple and improved mechanism of this character which will be stronger and more durable and efiicient, which can be more 0 readily applied in manufacture to the head of the instrument, and in which the parts can be more conveniently and readily assembled.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the an- 5 nexed claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a face view of a portion of the head of a mandolin, showing ourimproved machine-head. Fig. 2

o is an edge view of the same, the heads of the tightening-keys being omitted. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line a: as, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line y y, Fig. 3.

5 Referring to the drawings, A designates the neck of the instrument; B, the head; D, the string-pegs, and E the tightening-keys.

F designates our improved plate or boxing which contains the mechanism of the machine- 0 head. In the practice of our invention we form this plate with two parallel side walls f f, which embrace the face and back of the head B, and with a connecting end wall f, which is at the edge of the head, said plate 5 being preferably formed of a single piece of metal bent into shape, as shown.

The string-pegs D have a bearing in both of the side walls ff, as shown at g, and carry a circumferential gear II, meshing with a o worm I upon the stem 6 of the tighteningkeys. The keys E have a bearing in the end Serial No. 721,168. (No model.)

wall f, and their inner ends bear in a crosspiece J, which extends between the side walls f f and is secured by screws 70, passing through said side walls.

To provide for the convenient assemblage of the parts of the mechanism, and particularly for the insertion of the tightening-keys with their worm, the bearings for the stem of said keys in the end wall f intersect an en; larged opening Z, through which the worm I is adapted to be inserted.

It will be understood that by reason of the formation of the plate or boxing F in one piece with the two side walls it may be bent around the inclosed mechanism in the process of manufacture, thus providing for a convenient assemblage of the various parts. The machine-head is secured in position at the edge of the head B by means of screws m, which pass through openings 02 in the side walls ff, and in this connection, to provide for greater strength and security in the at tachment of the machine-head, the openings or in the different side walls f are out of alinement or on different planes, so that they do not register, as clearly shown by the dotted lines indicating said openings in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The operation and advantages of our invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The improved general construction and arrangement of parts provide an exceptionally strong and durable machine-head for this class of instruments which can be inexpensively and conveniently manufactured and in which the parts can be readily assembled and applied in position upon the head of the instrument.

We do not confine ourselves to the specific details of mere mechanical construction as herein shown and described, as it is obvious that under the scope of ourinvention we are entitled to slight structural variations.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a machine-head for mandolins or similar stringed instruments, a plate or boxing containing the machine-head mechanism and embodying an end wall having openings forming the outer bearings for the stem of the tightening-keys, said end wallbeing provided presence of two Witnesses, this 8th day of with enlarged openings intersecting said bear- June, 1899. ing-openings and adapted for the passage of the Worm upon the keys, in combination with the tightening-keys provided with the Worm, i substantially as set forth.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our invention We have signed our names, in

JOHN FAVILLA. ANTONIO FAVILLA.

Witnesses:

M. G. MACLEAN, GEo. E. BARRITT. 

